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Prenatal exposure to maternal very severe obesity is associated with impaired neurodevelopment and executive

Theresia H Mina1,2, Marius Lahti1,3, Amanda J Drake1

  • 1University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

Pediatric Research
|March 14, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal maternal severe obesity is linked to poorer child neurodevelopment and executive function, including attention and working memory. These effects persist regardless of maternal well-being or child

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Prenatal maternal obesity is a growing concern linked to adverse child neurodevelopmental outcomes.
  • Limited research exists on the specific impact of maternal obesity on childhood executive functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal maternal severe obesity (SO) and neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood.
  • To assess executive functioning, including attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and gratification delay, in children exposed to maternal SO in utero.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study involving 113 children (mean age 4.24 years) born to mothers with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²) or lean mothers (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m²).
  • Neurodevelopmental assessments, executive functioning tests, and questionnaires were administered.
  • Statistical analyses, including regression, were used to determine the impact of maternal SO, controlling for confounding factors.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal maternal SO significantly predicted poorer overall neurodevelopment, problem-solving skills, and fine motor skills.
  • Children of mothers with SO exhibited poorer executive functioning in attention, inhibitory control, and working memory.
  • These associations remained significant after adjusting for maternal psychological well-being and child's BMI, but were influenced by maternal education.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal exposure to maternal severe obesity adversely affects child neurodevelopment and executive functions.
  • Interventions targeting maternal obesity during the perinatal period may be crucial for preventing negative neurodevelopmental consequences in children.
  • Further research is warranted to explore preventative strategies and long-term impacts.

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